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YOUR McMURRAY CAREER ADVICE
The Fort McMurray Resumé
So you are looking for a job in Fort McMurray. It’s definitely a different labour market here than in the rest of the country...let alone the rest world. I have spent several years working with local employers, finding out what they are looking for, and what the trends are for the Fort McMurray Labor market. Here are some tips to help you with your first order of job search, THE RESUMÉ:
Know the job you are applying for. Employers’ number one pet peeve is when an applicant’s objective is stated as they are applying for a labour position, when the company is hiring for an admin. Read the job posting and tailor your resume to suit that company.
Have a highlights/ qualifications section at the start of your resume. This allows an employer to quickly view your resume to see if you have the correct requirements; it draws them into wanting to read about you. Include details; instead of saying, “Experience with computer programs”, let the employer know what programs, “extensive experience with Microsoft Excel and Simply Accounting”.
Include the requirements on your resumé. If a job requires you to have a Class 5 Drivers license and you do not have that listed on your resume, then the employer will never know. They are not mind-readers, nor do they assume.
Keep it short. Unless you are applying for a professional position, human resources can get hundreds of applications for one position from all over the world. They do not have time to flip to page three to see if you have your driver’s license or CSTS (refer back to #2).
Use an email address people will not blush at. If you created your email account in junior high and it included a nickname at the time, then most likely you should start another account. It’s free and will take you a lot further than sugarmomma@bigdeal.com.
So now that you’ve started your resumé, it’s always a good idea to have someone look it over. Do you know that the Alberta Works Office in Fort McMurray is located on the first floor of the Provincial Building (9915 Franklin Ave) and can help you with your job search and resumé critique? We also offer interview prep, job fairs, and supports for job search functions.
In addition, we also have services for employers. Are you looking to post a job ad, have one-on-one interview space or your very own career fair? We can assist with that free of charge. Our Alberta Works employment center can see between 5-10 thousand people a month searching for jobs.
Last but not least, if you are an employer or a job seeker- check out our Fort McMurray Jobs Facebook Page to keep up to date on what career fairs are happening around the area and to post your job ads. facebook.com/fortmcmurrayjobs.
Have a job hunting or human resources question? Email YMM at editor@yourmcmurraymagazine.com and we might print both your question and our answer in a future issue.
